A Day at the Beach

Today,
Makylie's preschool class went to the beach for their spring field trip.
It was COLD, and rainy. It poured on us all of the way there, and as we were waiting for everyone to show up, we all huddled under their small picnic area to stay dry.

Then...
before it started...the skies just OPENED up.
It was still cold, and wet, but we had BLUE SKIES for the whole tour!

We got to look for shells...and creatures.
We got to move around stations where the marine biologists showed the kids different kind of sea life. The really coold thing, was that all of them were form our shore. NONE were brought in for display.
Some were even hands on.

Maky loved the sea stars! They had found almost every color to show the kids.

The kids listened very carefully...and had a really fun time. They touched what they could, and were careful, and they asked questions.


These little crabs, of course, were a huge hit!


They searched for driftwood, and looked for shells, and got to come and show them to the biologist. They loved having the freedom to roam around and search.

Makylie's very favorite part of the day was looking for wishing rocks. They are black rocks that have a white line all of the way around them. The idea of wishing rocks goes WAY back! The kids all got to search for them, and then pick one to take home!
She looked and looked, and found SO many. Then she picked her favorite for her, and brought one home for Tyler too.

Finally, the biologists showed the kids different kinds of seaweed.
All different kinds and colors.
Then the kids went and searched for others from the beach that matched the examples.


All in all, it was a really fun trip.
Very wet and cold, but the kids had a blast, and I was VERY appreciative for the blue skies!
Makylie learned a lot and has talked about it ever since.
It was a really fun field trip and a fun day with my baby!

Doing some Good...

Makylie's preschool class had a trike-a-thon. It was SO cute. The kids could bring scooters, or bikes, or trikes, or big wheels...or even walk. This was all to raise money for St. Judes.
The school did lessons on giving back, and the reasons why we need to help others for two weeks before the event. The kids were sent home with fundraising forms, and could collect sponsor donations.

The kids were all really excited.
Not just about the event but for donating all of the money they had been collecting. The school does a couple of food drives throughout the year, and they do a toy drive at Christmas, but this was the first time the kids were really connected to what they were doing.
They knew they would ride laps...and that the money was to help other kids.

The day before the event, it POURED rain ALL day long. I mean, we didn't get a break at all. I thought for sure they were going to have to cancel...or at least, postpone it. The day of the event though...not a drop. Cloudy, cool, but absolutely no rain, UNTIL less than an hour after! I went to pick up Tyler, which is what we do right after I pick her up, everyday...and while I was waiting for him, the downpour started.
It was crazy!

The kids had a BLAST, and burnt SO much energy. They went around and around over and over again!
Makylie never stopped once.

She rode with her friends most of the time. Her best friend, Anna was sick and had to miss it, which made her sad, but she still had a great time!

She was so proud of herself.
They all were!

When it was over, they gathered and sang us a song about tricycles. As a class, they raised $200. 6 classes participated at our branch of the preschool alone. All total, $1061 was raised. Those kids did great! And for a really good cause too. It was a really fun day!

Little Student of the Week

This week, Makylie is the student of the week in her Preschool class.
The kids get to make a poster of themselves.
(did I mention I miss my camera...this cute girl deserves to be crisp and clear... :))

She made sure to wear one of her prettiest dresses for her special day!
And look how proud she looks!!

Here is her poster.
She chose her pictures from the groups that I set out.
She helped me come up with all of the "favorite things"...which included...shoes, pink, drawing, Hello Kitty, Silly Bandz, Friends, sports, dancing and her brother... and she drew a picture of her pets, and her family...and she wrote her name and the date etc...


It was so fun to watch her look through pictures that she doesn't remember.
And then get excited about them...remembering...

I can not believe how big you are getting little lady.

The pride-filled sparkle in your eyes...

LIGHTS my world!

Singing like an angel...

Makylie's preschool class put on a Happy Birthday to Jesus concert.
They sang Christmas carols...all with hand motions and movements.
It was really cute!
She was quite nervous.

She is so shy already...but put her in front of a crowd....In her beautiful dress!
And she is...
Still just as cute!

This is her cute little class.
(back) Daniel, Taylor, Aizak---(middle) Dallin, Clara, Sawyer, Ana--(front) Ruby, Noah, Maky.
Natalie is absent.
And this is her teacher, Mrs. Forquer.

(Seriously....LOOOOOOK at that dress!)

Oh it was such a cute, energetic concert.

The kids had been working a very long time...and were so very proud of themselves.

I was surprised...because she did so much better this year then last year.

Last year she basically just stood there. She barely even sang.

This year she did the movements and dances...and sang the songs.

Maybe by next year, she will smile...just once :)

Makylie....you make me so happy.

I get you, in a way that no one else, ever will.

I swallow everything you do, straight into my heart...where it grows again and again, until it is ten-times it's original size.

You are a little me.

It's like looking in a mirror.

*********

Well,

If that mirror is a UBER-INDEPENDANT, random, sassy little thing!

:)

A preschool concert...

Makylie finishes school this Thursday.
I can not believe that her first year of preschool is over.

It went by SO fast and it leaves me feeling a bit overwhelmed by the constant reminder of how fast time goes.

She had her end of the year concert.
It was SO cute

She was so different today, then she was in the spring when she had her other concert. That one was cute too of course, but she was so shy and very intrigued by watching everyone else.

This time though, she participated.
She did the hand motions and sang the songs...
AND EVEN SMILED (some). :)

She is still unsure about the crowds...
But she is coming into her own....

The kids look so much bigger...

Maky doesn't quite understand that she doesn't get to go back to school until September...she doesn't know what summer is.
She LOVES school, and is going to miss her friends, and her teacher...
but I think she will enjoy summer with mommy too...

What a voice...

As colds and flus are running rampant right now...we have managed to stay healthy for quite a stretch....

However, they have finally come our way...

Little baby lost her voice last night, and when she woke up this morning, she had NO voice.

The video below is from about an hour after waking up, so her voice is a LITTLE better. She just sounds so pathetic, it is adorable!

She is singing her preschool welcome song.

This is the first video I have ever uploaded...so I hope it works....

My baby's first day of PRESCHOOL

It was a hard decision for us. Makylie has had a speech impediment since...well...she should have started talking, but didn't.

It was determined at her 3 year old appointment that she was going to need to be evaluated for speech therapy. So we did.

She was accepted into the Washington State no child left behind program at a local school. Basically, a preschool which includes speech therapy. OR, she could do speech therapy by itself.

We opted for school...because we TRULY felt that she needed socialization. She is SO completely dependant on Tyler. She sits with him, and plays with him, and copies him. When he isn't around, she talks about when he will be. We knew she had to learn some, how to make some of her own friends.

School was 3 days a week....2 hours a day...it was good.

So all summer we new she was going. She was excited...we were excited.

Then they contacted us to create Maky's goals for the year...so we met with them, and that we did.

Then, I found out, that Makylie was going to be in a class with only 4 kids...3 being boys! The teacher told me that 90% of the time, the boys are there for behavior issues, but couldn't tell me about these boys specifically for confidentiality reasons. All of the sudden I was having concerns. It was certainly not going to help her socially.

Since my SOLE reason for sending her TO SCHOOL (rather then just doing speech therapy), was for her own benefit of learning how to socialize, especially with other little girls...I didn't know what to do...
*****************************
I stewed on it some....and was really feeling like it wasn't the right decision...in my gut, I knew it wasn't going to be what I was looking for.

So I quickly took her out of that program.

I enrolled her in speech therapy at Tyler's school, right down the street.

Then, I got very lucky, and found her a different preschool program! Because we still did know that she needed some social interaction with other kids.

So, here is her cute little school...

The program is at a church that is as close a walk as Tyler's school, just the other direction.

And her playground.

She goes 2 days a week, for only 2 hours a day! Which is SO perfect!

She was so excited on her first day. She looked so darn cute, and was so brave.

This is her school bag that she made! She is SO proud of it!

She was brave, but I thought when it came right down to me leaving, she was going to panic, and cry, as she has never really been away from me.

However....THAT WAS NOT THE CASE!!!!! She barely even looked back at me. I had to go say goodbye to her...

Then, from the other side of the room where she was sitting in circle-time, she yelled...

"Bye mommy...look 'dis giwl has me same sues"

So cute....

I held back a few tears, and walked away...

All alone on a weekday, for basically the first time in 6 years.

Oh she is just such a bright spot in my day...it was strange, very very strange, starting the car and pulling away.

Then when the day was over, I picked her up, and she ran into my arms, which was JUST THE BEST!

She made a Fruit Loop necklace, which she then proceeded to eat.

She told me all about her day...the songs they sang, and the book they read. Sitting criss-cross applesauce, and that she even didn't eat snack because she didn't like it.

Makylie, you are just growing up so fast.

You are so much a part of my every day...and I can't believe that you are experiencing the world beyond me. I am happy for that...but it is so hard to for me at the same time.

As I sit here now, you are still my tiny little, long haired, baby, with such a spark in your wild little brown eyes.

As those eyes become more independent, I cant help but, feel a little left behind.

But, I am SO proud of you!

We love you!

Welcome to preschool baby girl!